SIMPLY MAGICAL

SPRINKLES LEAVE NO S T ORY UNT OLD

SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

HIDDEN GEMS OF

ILOILO A charming group of islands in the northern part of Panay Island in Visayas is set to carve its name in tourism

Contents reviews

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trips

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SPRINKLES SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2012

random

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gastronomics

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INSIDE THE HALLS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

The Editor’s Letter ISSUE

2 The best is yet to come

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emocracy’s famous home once again left the world in awe in its recentlyconcluded presidential election that saw the close battle between two candidates who went head-to-head in their ambitious plan to clinch the most powerful job in the entire world.

That night saw the reelection of America’s first black president whose historic first term in office was carried through a platform of hope and change.

Rising through a fresh mandate for a second term, Barack Hussein Obama, the name of whom doesn’t even sound like an American at all, confidently faced a cheering crowd in his hometown Chicago and the world in particular on that election night complete with soaring rhetorics and as expected, an exceptional oratorical skills. On that night, this line stroked a chord in me as it did the same for the many embattled Americans in the world’s superpower: Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.

These words got the crowd stood into their feets, made a sound through their hands. For a problematic nation, whose grappling with the worst economic dillema

in a century that left many of his citizens unemployed and struggling to meet both ends, a reassuring leader maintained composure--ever hopeful and never faltering that this can be solved, given more time.­­ Obama, who have become a witness to how greatly divided his country was when one would see the electoral map, rallied his countrymen to unite, saying that they are not as divided as their politics suggest. They, as their president proudly said, are greater than the sum of their ndividual ambitions and they remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. “We are, and forever will be, the United States of America” One would wonder why many of us Filipinos, including me, are fascinated with the grandeur of American politics. It could very well be explained by how the people in general see the elections as a venue for their voices to be heard. To vote is a sacred thing and to choose their country’s next leader, they cling to it as if it’s the last hope in their pursuit for transformation and change. That certain level of maturity among the electors and their candidates is definitely the kind we lack here at home.

We certainly hope America’s success because their success is also our success.

This can be better understood if we put it into the context of a tough man acquiring a severe virus for the very first time. When it coughs, each of one us is affected in ways we could barely imagine.

While in its soil the Americans rejoiced over the outcome of the election, many people across the globe, from the streets of Tokyo to the forgotten corners of the Arab world and even in our little office here in Tagum, posed a seemingly difficult question to answer: Can we do just the same?

I came with this article in light of the upcoming 2013 midterm elections on the first quarter next year. An eclectic mix of people signified intention to hold public office who will be defending their paltforms of governance

SPRINKLES L E A V E

N O

S T O R Y

EDITOR IN CHIEF CREATIVE DIRECTOR

U N T O L D

LOUIE BRYAN LAPAT LEO TIMOGAN

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

RIC KEVIN CONDE

MANAGING EDITOR

RICHARD ARELLANO

FEATURES EDITOR ART DIRECTOR PHOTOGRAPHER GRAPHIC ARTISTS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

JIVE GUMELA JIO JOHN MANAGBANAG LOUIE JAY LOSARIA HAROLD LUPOGAN APRIL SALINAS ANDIE BRAGA HARLEY AGLOSOLOS MIGS HIPOLITO MONET FEDERISO EDWIN LASQUITE CROMWELL BONGHANOY

SPRINKLES IS THE QUARTERLY ONLINE MAGAZINE OF THE TAGUM BLOGGERS SOCIETY. THE EDITORS AND MEMBERS OF THE TAGUM BLOGGERS SOCIETY GIVE NO WARRANTIES, GUARANTEES OR ASSURANCES AND MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING ANY GOODS OR SERVICES ADVERTISED IN THIS EDITION. NO PART OF THIS ONLINE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED, IN PART OR IN WHOLE, WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER.

On the Scene

Stars

constellation of

The Star of Bethlehem once heralded good news of the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Thousand of years had passed, we immortalize its symbol through giant lanterns that, among many other symbolisms, celebrate the joy of the holidays and Filipino ingenuity. The Queen of Apostles College and Seminary in Tagum City invites us to take a glimpse of their giant parols.

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Complete darkness wrapped the whole place on that moon-lit Friday night when, as the hours leading to the first day of December looms, the Queen of Apostles College and Seminary opened its door to us to witness the tradition that has spanned years of delicate and meticulous art of making parols, perhaps the well-revered Christmas icon of the Filipinos second to the belen.

Quite ironically, the bright sky on that night brought by the romantic moon didn’t offer a vista of little, twinkling, and sometimes falling, astronomical dots. What I saw instead are big ones that are very well-decorated with indigenous and recyclable materials that are brought to life by lights of different colors in the spectrum. Had I been so crazy, I would have thought some of the stars up above camped in this part of the world!

Past a dark and eerie driveway bordered on the sidelines by old, towering trees is the great seminarians’ abode, home to the future men of the Catholic church. These people are also the young men who carried on the tradition of putting up giant lanterns not just for the sake of having it, but to remind themselves and the faithful community in general, of the great celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Through their artistic collaboration to produce such marvelous lanterns, they were able to bring such magnitude of joy eminent during the holidays.

This tradition traces its roots way back in the year 1996, according to the dean of the seminary and our host for that night, Rev. Fr. Emerson delos Reyes. In the past years, he said, belens add up to the hype of the seminary’s Christmas tradition other than the

In the seminary’s on display, each h with meanings an giant lanterns. In recent years, they shifted their focus on the latter, with seminarians organized in several groups thinking of different sets of designs every year in a competition that has meted their caliber for arts and design.

In the seminary’s gymasium, about ten giant Christmas icons were on display, each having distinct and intricate designs that are rich with meanings and symbolisms.

One particular design that caught my attention was the smiling snow man,

gymasium, about ten giant Christmas icons were having distinct and intricate designs that are rich nd symbolisms.

the famed symbol of a White Christmas everybody in the Philippines is dreaming--that kind of moment when you wake up on a bright Christmas morning with falling snow outside your window and freckles across your nose. This particular fixture stands smiling beside an old ship adorned with a cross and a handful of stars, made more vibrant by the tiny dots of yellow lights.

The group’s representative would later explain its meaning as such: The snow man represents the imperial West and the decline of faith in that spot of the world. On the other hand, the sacred mission of spreading the Word is ably represented by the old ship, with exterior made of envelopes urging the faithful to support the missionaries in the different parts of the globe.­­­­­This is of primary importance since the year 2012 is assigned as the year of faith by the Catholic church. The recent addition of another Filipino to the Canons of Saints is also celebrated by this largely Christian country. Saint Pedro Calungsod--the second Filipino saint after Saint Lorenzo Ruiz--is also a missionary who was killed in the line of duty.

Aside from this, the sight of belens of different interpretations is also a sight to behold in the designs of the displayed giant lanterns along Seminary Drive.

With just a few weeks to prepare in between their busy academic life, the seminarians were able to craft wonderful pieces of art from a tapestry of resources, be it recycled or indigenous materials found inside the seminary. And sometimes, from their respective homes. But with the kind of product they produced, no wonder if it would be a hit among locals here.

The City of Tagum, known for its love for culture and the arts, is beaming with colorful lights during the holidays. This is very well evident when its famed giant holiday tree (measuring 110 feet this year) comes to life.

People from all walks of life gather at the holiday tree that stands tall and mighty in the Freedom Park which is at the central part of the bustling city. The parols in the seminary would surely be a big crowd-drawer too, making more people appreciate the real meaning of these Christmas icons behind those designs and amazing lights. There’s a certain festival in Pampanga where the locals put into spotlight their humungous parols. I cannot fathom why we can’t do the same in this city where once the impossible is turned into stunning possibilities.

As soon as these parols were lighted up, darkness was soon replaced with eagerness and hope--fitting symbolisms the parol represent. The Scripture pointed out that it was the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three wise men in their search for baby Jesus. So when you see a constellation of stars in a dark night, think of the better days that lie ahead.

May the stars of Christmas, whether hanged in your respective homes or in the streets, remind you of hope, of new beginnings and happiness that Christmas bring. Merry Christmas!ess that the Christmas bring. Merry

Film

Simply Magical Just in time for Christmas, the Rise of the Guardians opens a labyrinth of surprises and takes its viewers into a world full of imagination and childhood magic. It’s definitely worth the popcorn you’ll buy to go with the thrill this film has to offer.

IN SEARCH OF an unknown past and questions surrounding Jack Frost’s special ability offers an impressive background to this yet another spell-binding animated film.

Playful yet troubled about the existence of his special powers, Jack Frost is blessed with the ability to freeze anything he wish to turn into ice through his staff. But he is also an interpretation of disconnect.

In the opening scene complete with graphical magic, viewers would, first, be amazed with how Jack Frost marveled at his newly-found powers, albeit his problem of being invisible. Your heart would surely go out for him each time passes through his spectral frame, signifying they didn’t notice his existence.

As action progresses, the back story of how Jack Frost gained his special abilities take shape. Adding spice to the greatlywoven story is that he is about to join the elite league of the Guardians, an honest-togoodness group with members delicately chosen by a certain Man in the Moon. This alliance is best described through the words of North when he explained their mission to

Jack Frost: “We go by many names and take many forms. We bring wonder and hope. We bring joy and dreams. We are the Sandman and the Tooth Fairy. We are the Easter Bunny and Santa. And our powers are greater than you ever imagine. It is our job to protect the children of the world. For as long as they believe in us, we will guard them with our lives.”

As he battles with the past that troubles him, Jack Frost sealed an alliance with the Guardians in its sacred mission to defeat Pitch Black, or the bogeyman, who is mustering all his efforts to destroy childhood dreams and replace them with nightmares and darkness.

While the film offers the usual recipe of a film thriller, the Rise of the Guardians is undoubtedly an outstanding film made more colorful with the colorful lessons of courage and faith. Fun to watch especially with popcorns and soda, the Rise of the Guardians offers an alliance like that of The Avengers yet you would see unique aspects that make this movie a stunner.

Watching the movie would make you

connect with Jack Frost’s character. You will find yourself in him: full of questions, doubtful, troubled with the past--elements of teenage angst. When pressed with woes that seem insurmountable, we often quite ask ourselves why we, with billions of people in the world, have to carry the burdens of problems taking shape in many forms. Despite of it all, we managed to dash ourselves up to the finish line, unleashed our abilities and brought out the “goodness” lurking inside of us. Jack Frost did that.

So did we. We rise up to the challenge, we danced to the ballad of our times. It also tackles faith and the power of believing.

Talking to a child, Jack Frost uttered a succinct dose of faith: Do you stop believing in the moon just because the sun comes up?

Upon exiting the movie theater where I had just seen the Rise of the Guardians on that humid Bonifacio day, I mustered a silly thought of watching it again. Why not? The movie was simply magical in its entirety. It’s both entertaining and spine-tingler, enough for me to look forward to yet another spellbinding sequel.

Arts

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of the times of